B.C. recommending grocery store liquor sales

Rob Shaw, Victoria Times Colonist11.28.2013

John Yap, Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Policy Reform appears at a press conference to announce that the B.C. government will look at selling beer and wine at some retail stores, after a majority of residents said they were in favour of the idea, in Vancouver, October 29, 2013. The Canadian Restaurant and Food Association has submitted eight recommendations to the review saying that B.C.s liquor control system is out of date and needlessly complex.Nick Procaylo
/ PNG

The B.C. government will look at selling beer and wine at some retail stores, after a majority of residents said they were in favour of the idea.

The B.C. government will look at selling beer and wine at some retail stores, after a majority of residents said they were in favour of the idea.Vancouver Sun
/ Vancouver Sun

The B.C. government will look at selling beer and wine at some retail stores, after a majority of residents said they were in favour of the idea.File
/ Google Image

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British Columbians should be allowed to buy liquor in grocery stores, says the Liberal MLA in charge of reviewing the province's liquor laws.

John Yap, the parliamentary secretary for liquor reform, said he's recommending that government allow liquor sales in grocery stores as long as they are in a separate section of the store.

It's the top recommendation in a report provided to Justice Minister Suzanne Anton because the idea received overwhelming interest from the public, said Yap.

"Liquor sales in grocery stores received considerably more attention and interest and support than any other topic during the course of the liquor review," he said.

"The final tally — including all blog posts, all e-mails, all tweets — amounted to 75 per cent generally in favour of the idea.

"This is something I feel we just cannot ignore. Because it is so clearly at the top of so many British Columbians' wish list, I have recommended B.C. allow liquor sales in grocery stores."

The idea would still need to be approved by Anton and the government cabinet. Yap submitted his liquor review report on Monday.

Only grocery stores would be allowed to sell liquor — including beer, wine and spirits — and not convenience stores or local corner stores, said Yap.

Yap said he's also recommending a moratorium on the 731 private liquor stores be kept in place, but did not explain how that would be possible while also allowing the expansion of liquor sales into grocery stores.

Yap said B.C. would look at how other provinces handle the issue, including separate liquor stores inside grocery stores to help prevent minors from having access to alcohol.

"Clearly, consumers believe the ability to access liquor while shopping for groceries is what they are looking for," said Yap.

Private liquor store operators have called the move unnecessary because many liquor outlets are already located next to grocery stores.

Costco and 7-Eleven have both written to the B.C. government in support of selling liquor inside their stores.

But the Alliance of Beverage Licensees, which represents private liquor retailers, told the review panel that allowing multinational chains to sell alcohol will put small businesses at risk.

And Ian Baillie, the executive director, said Thursday that the idea may initially sound good but poses a risk not just for the jobs generated by small businesses, but in terms of controlling alcohol sales to minors.

The current model is already convenient, he said.

"There are very few places around the province you will not find a liquor store already located within 100 metres of a grocery store, and having a separate liquor checkout inside a grocery store will not improve convenience," Baillie said in a statement.

The alliance launched a radio ad campaign against grocery store sales earlier this month.

Shane Simpson, the B.C. New Democrat's liquor and gaming critic, said he'd like to see the evidence that Yap claims supports his recommendations.

"We're doing this kind of dance of the seven veils with John Yap releasing this one (recommendation) and saying this is a really good idea and I'll bring my 70 other recommendations out sometime in the spring or in January," Simpson said.

"The reality is they've got to provide some substance behind this as to what the impacts are."

Yap did not release details of the dozens of other recommendations, but said the full report will be released publicly after cabinet has had a chance for review.

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